Moving? Plan ahead with these products and steps to protect your face

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Spring is here and Summer is just right around the corner. Warm, sunny weather is a popular time for moving and I did just that last month. A change is great when life is starting to feel a bit stagnant, but the actual moving is the absolute worst. The packing, the logistics, the moving, the dust — OMG the dust. Whenever I wash my hands in between moving, the running water turns black from dust and other grossness accumulating on my hands. I would blow my nose and the tissue paper is stained with snots of dust that I’ve inhaled throughout the day. Gross.

Now imagine all of that on your face. With sweat. Yeah, I refuse to. But it will happen regardless. The only way to make it a better situation is by planning ahead to make sure you are protecting and repairing your skin amid all the moving craziness. At least it makes me feel better thinking about it that way lol Especially since I’ve got cystic acne. It takes less than a day for them to flare up, but a minimum of 2 weeks to calm it the eff down if I really work on it. If there’s anything I can do to prevent the flare ups, I will spend the extra 10 minutes to save myself 2 weeks of stress and heartache.

Which is why I want to share what I used over my moving weekend. The products I chose were based on what I found most convenient during an extremely stressful time. And obviously that they work for what I’m looking for. As in: I used these products for at least a few weeks before picking them for my moving days. Moving is stressful enough already; your skin shouldn’t be.

In a different life, I would double-cleansing. Yes, even in the morning. But minimalistic-moving-me finds this extremely inconvenient and needs something to just clean and go. So I looked up various kinds of cleansing water and fell in love with this one. The morning of my move, I started out with Garnier SkinActive – Micellar Cleansing Water (which you can get here and here):

I would soak a round organic cotton pad with this micellar water and swipe upward on my face. And that’s it! No rinse or anything. Then I would be pleasantly surprised by what kind of crap it can pick up even though I had only been in bed for the past 5, 6, 7, 8 hours. Really, the snow-white cotton pad would end up being… not snow-white. Not only is it a great no-fuss cleanser, but it’s also gentle. I never felt like it’s irritating on my face and my face always feels refreshed after using — which is a great start to a busy morning! Also because it’s a huge bottle (13.5oz) for only $9. I mean, you really can’t beat that.

Next step: after giving my face a few seconds to dry, I would use Thayers Witch Hazel Alcohol-Free Toner (which can be found here, here, and here):

I love Thayers’ toners. I have used both the rose petal and lavender ones; the lavender one was extremely calming for my skin and the rose petal one made my skin feel super smooth. They are natural and super gentle, so you wouldn’t have to worry about this irritating your face while you’re moving boxes, either.

Once toner is in place, I would use Mad Hippie’s Antioxidant Facial Oil (found here, here, here, and here):

Out of all the moisturizers and facial oils, why did I choose this one? Biggest reason is because it contains ingredients bursting with antioxidants; and antioxidants are helpful in protecting your skin from pollution and sun damage. Since moving meant I’d be outdoor and exposed to the sun all day, I found this to be perfect in keeping my skin healthy and glowing. I used this to replace both my serum and moisturizer step because: a. Convenience; b. My oily skin in warm weather does not need all those layers of products when I’m moving. It’ll just look like I drenched my face in oil. Anyway, I absolutely love this facial oil and have incorporated this to my daily morning routine due to its protection powers.

Talking about protection, how can we forget SPF? Sun screen is important on a daily basis, but you absolutely need it if you are going to be outside majority of the time. Sun screen is annoying to put on though, I’ll admit. I especially hate the super thick, stubborn ones that take forever to disappear into my skin. I’m convinced this is why sun screen setting sprays are invented. And this invention — along with ramen, toilet paper, and smartphones — is something I am 153% grateful for. Lightweight and no fuss — it’s what we all need. So after my facial oil, I would spritz the Supergoop! Defense Refresh Setting Mist (found here and here):

I know it’s a setting spray but it provides great SPF protection with just a few spritz, so it’s super convenient for busy days even when you’re not wearing make-up. All you have to do is shake the bottle, close your eyes, tuck your lips in, and then spray this product all over your face. Also it’s SPF 50! What else can we ask for when figuring out which box should go where while standing outside in the sun? An iced tea. I would’ve loved an iced tea that weekend.

My moving morning skincare routine probably took less than 10 minutes. I then packed up those same products with the other immediate products and labeled them so I know exactly which box I packed them in. The worst thing about moving is when you don’t label boxes and end up getting frustrated and hangry because you can’t find silverware for 2 weeks straight. And if I’m already hangry, there is no way my skin is also going hangry for 2 weeks.

After moving all day, I used the same products for my nighttime skincare routine because I was too exhausted to do too much more. I did make time to include an exfoliation step and clay mask step because these are important to keeping my face healthy and glowing after a whole day of moving.

I have recently found an obsession for exfoliating my skin. And after a whole day of moving, being out in the sun, other grossness, and sunscreen, exfoliation is your new best friend. It’s the best way to help turn over dead skin cells and scrub out all the stuff your skin has accumulated throughout a day of moving. Although, if you get sunburned, I do not recommend exfoliating as that would really irritate your skin. I was not sunburned that day so after cleansing, I chose Neogen Dermatology’s Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling – Green Tea (found here and here) to exfoliate:

I love these exfoliating pads, and I especially loved them when I was moving because it is so simple and convenient. Here are the steps I took:

Take a pad and wipe in an upward circular motion on face using the scrubby side (30-60 seconds).

Treat face with soft side of pad (optional but it’s seriously super soft).

Rinse well with lukewarm water (better on the cooler side) for about 30 seconds.

Dry with towel (10 seconds).

Admire glowing face in new bathroom mirror (5 minutes).

Simple, right? If I had chosen the normal exfoliator that comes in tubes, it would’ve taken forever trying to rinse out all of the scrubby sugar/salt/seeds/what-have-yous. These exfoliating pads helped me save so much time, especially when all I want to do is sleep after a full day of moving.

After exfoliating, I would pat my face down with toner and then follow with a clay mask. I specifically chose a clay mask because it helps draw out impurity and dirt that’s burrowed deep in pores. I used Sephora’s Blue Clay Mask that helps detoxify and oxegenate (found here):

I love masks and have lots of them, but I chose this one specifically because it’s supposed to help detox my skin. The design of this packaging also won my heart: it’s small enough to be packed anywhere and the squeeze tube helps you create less of a mess, hence saves time by not having to clean up.

After about 15 minutes, I would rinse the mask off, pat down toner on my face, and then use the same facial oil. Day 1 of moving: done.

Moving is stressful and can really do a number to our skin if we’re not planning ahead. By putting aside a few essential items, it would really save time and energy to repair damage done during the move and weeks after the move when everything is still out of place and nothing can be found. Whether you are moving soon or just a no-fuss type of person, I found that these products really does the job when time is of the essence.